Posts taggedTuk Tuk

Sri Lanka

The Craft of Tranquil

I have always loved hand carving, the tradition passed down from generation to generation. It was particularly special to witness fathers teaching their sons the trade of carving gorgeous woods. Master carvers accompanied by their apprentices were in every village we visited. Here, in Sri Lanka, they take their time and produce wonders for the eye and for touch. They are truly masters of their trade. They frequently carve what they see, like elephants and designs from nature. Statues of a tranquil Buddha or scenes of fisherman and wildlife are also recurring themes. This is all by hand, no power tools––the detail is miraculous.

Carver’s Art

In several cases we saw woodworkers carving large blocks of mahogany, indigenous to Sri Lanka. This particular species mahogany grows no place else on the planet. One block was a series of elephants and foliage. The artisan was into it already for 4 days and he had a long way to go— meticulous work–– fascinating to observe… it was a work of art.

Tuk tuk Anyone

Jessica, my wife, and I love traveling and meeting people.

We met a man we connected with immediately, he’s a tuk tuk driver––called a tuk tuk because of the sound the vehicle makes. His motorized vehicle is a tiny, covered 3 wheeler, which is kind of like a taxi over here. It’s the easiest way to get around. They’ll take you to the jewelry store, craft stores, restaurants, anywhere. If you buy, they get a commission. It’s a way of doing business and helps get everyone involved. We clicked right away. He enjoyed fishing and so do I.

Win Win

There is a joy in what we do, but, it is dedicated work. Our prime objective is finding amazing things that our customers want, at prices that are affordable. We really do go that extra mile (no pun intended), discovering items that can’t be found anywhere else. Every piece we buy, we enjoy. We buy them because they are neat, cool, and always come with a story…a slice of history. There’s no third party in what we do.

We go off the beaten track. We go direct. We do all the planning, preparation for shipping, paperwork, and fumigation of containers….the whole enchilada.